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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22520965">Little</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHappyPup/pseuds/AHappyPup'>AHappyPup</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Age Gap AUs [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Frozen (Disney Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Regression/De-Aging, Big Little Ice Bros, Gen, Kid!Elsa, age gap au, dubious use of elsa's magic, i wanna do a canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:13:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22520965</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHappyPup/pseuds/AHappyPup</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the most natural course of development is to rebuild and start anew. Of course, Anna didn't think that would mean her 24 year old sister would revert to her 8 year old self. But magic is a finicky mistress.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anna &amp; Elsa (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa &amp; Ryder Nattura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Age Gap AUs [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1620439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Little</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I want to make this into a au series kind of like big/little ice bros! But before we can do fun one shots, I felt like setting up a prequel to it all. Welcome to the new sandbox!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Good morning, Gale!"</p><p>Anna smiled as Gale twirled into her bedroom window. The sun was finally rising, slowly waking from the long winter's night. Despite her distaste for it, early mornings were a part of life now. But her morning letters from Elsa made it all the more worth it.</p><p>"What have you got for me today?" She put her brush on the vanity and reached out for the note. A chill ran down her spine as Gale fluttered feverishly around her. "Elsa isn't feeling worse is she?"</p><p>Her sister had wrote the previous morning she felt like she was getting a cold. And though she had assured Anna it was nothing to worry about, Gale was giving her reason to think otherwise now. Quickly, she opened the note, reading a message that wasn't her sister's handwriting.</p><p>It wasn't even her sister's language.</p><p>Northuldran characters were scattered all over a piece of parchment. They had been doing their best to learn the language of their mother's people, but progress was slow. She could only pick out her name and Elsa's name. Her heart sped up, confused by everything that was happening. She needed to get to her sister.</p><p>"Will you take me to her?" she asked quickly, scribing her own note for Kristoff.</p><p>Gale responded by lifting Anna into the air, taking them off into the abyss. They took Anna for a ride as fast as they could manage, but Anna, filled to the brim with worries, couldn't help but feel like they were wasting time. However, soon enough the Northuldran camp came into view with people hustling and bustling far more than was normal.</p><p>"Anna!"</p><p>A familiar voice called out to her. It was Honeymaren, the woman who was so kind to take Elsa in and help her adjust to life in the forest. Hopefully she would have some clue what was going on.</p><p>"Honeymaren," Anna breathed. "What is happening? I got a note in Northuldran andI can't read it and I'm worried and where is my sister?"</p><p>Honeymaren sighed, taking Anna's hand. "It's easier to show you than tell you." Anna nodded, allowing herself to be dragged out to the clearing. </p><p>Near the reindeer clearing, Anna saw Ryder holding a small bundle in his arms. She eyed him wearily, her head tilted when he raised a finger over his mouth. A small tuft of white hair was visible. Was that-</p><p>“She went to bed early last night without much of a fight. I thought it was just her cold getting worse, but when I woke up this morning, she wasn’t in her hut or mine or Yelena’s. I couldn’t find her anywhere. But Ryder was already out working in the field, and she must have found him and thought he was safe because she hasn’t let go since,” Honeymaren expressed, trying to get the words out as fast as she could. It was clear to Anna that she was just as worried. </p><p>Sure enough, a smaller, younger Elsa was fast asleep in Ryder’s arms. In all of her worries, Anna couldn’t help but think that her sister was adorable in the garb. She had been dressed in tiny Northuldran furs and wrapped up in a scarf that Elsa had taken so much pride in making. She looked happy in her sleeping state.</p><p>“Thank you for writing me,” Anna said, squeezing Honeymaren’s had before going over to sit next to Ryder. “And thank you for taking care of her,” she whispered to Ryder, brushing back a few stray hairs from her sister.</p><p>“Anytime,” Ryder said, gently shifting the child. “But I don’t know what to do now. We knew you needed to know, but where do we go from here? We have no idea what happened, not to mention she’s probably not feeling well still.”</p><p>Anna pensively touched her sister’s forehead. Whatever had caused this certainly hadn’t eliminated her sickness, for she was still very warm. “We should take her to the trolls. If it’s something to do with her magic, they may know something that will help. It’s about a half day’s journey by wagon, but it’s the only thing I know to do.”</p><p>Honeymaren placed a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll go with you. You shouldn’t have to make this journey alone.”</p><p>Anna nodded. There was no reason to deny their help. She knew how much they cared for her sister. “Can I- can I hold her?” she asked softly.</p><p>Ryder shifted Elsa, resting her so she could lie against her sister. “She’s worn out. We fed the reindeer together and before we could even finish getting her clothed, she was knocked out, poor kid.”</p><p>She held her sister close cherishing this very odd moment. Elsa looked maybe seven or eight- at least that was her best guess. With how young Anna had been at the time of separation, she was never sure what Elsa looked like then and what was her imagination of her sister. She was peaceful in sleep, despite the slight wheeze in her chest. A hot bath and oils would do them both wonders, she figured.</p><p>Suddenly she felt her sister jerk, harsh coughs rattling through her lungs. Anna rubbed circles into her back, trying to help settle her again. “It’s okay, Elsa. It’s okay.”</p><p>Elsa looked at her with wide terrified eyes. Her breathing quickened, only making the cough worse. She tried to wiggle her way out of Anna’s arms. “Who- who are you?” </p><p>It broke Anna’s heart to hear the fear in Elsa’s eyes. “I’m Anna,” she said, desperate not to scare her further.</p><p>“No! No! Please let me go! I don’t want to hurt you! Not again!” Tears fell from her eyes, desperate to escape Anna’s grasp.</p><p>Anna shook her head and did her best to hold onto the young girl. She obviously remembered the accident. “You’re not going to hurt me, Elsie. Your powers won’t hurt me. I promise.”</p><p>Elsa gulped. “You know I have powers?” she asked softly.</p><p>“I’m your sister. Of course I do.”</p><p>Anna wasn’t sure if there was any right way to go about this, but her sister breaking into more tears told her that she might not have chosen the best way.  “You’re! You’re supposed to be little. Why- why are you so big?”</p><p>Anna laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “You know it isn’t proper to comment on a lady’s weight, princess,” she teased. </p><p>The little girl look sad and ashamed. “I’m sorry,” she said, tears welling in her eyes and coughs escaping her chest. </p><p>“Hey, hey,” she soothed, continuing to rub her back. “It was just a joke, sweetheart. I’m not upset. I promise.” Anna made a mental note to be more cautious with her language. Elsa was anxious as an adult; it only made sense that she would be sensitive and anxious about others’ feelings.</p><p>Elsa nodded cautiously, burying her head into Anna’s shoulder. Maybe some part of her remembered, remembered that she was safe and loved in Anna’s arms.</p><p>Ryder moved, crouching in front of Elsa. “She’s the real deal, kid,” he said with a smile. “Do you think if I got you some tea from Elder you would be able to drink it? It’ll help that sore chest of yours.” </p><p>Elsa nodded shyly before shutting her eyes. Anna rocked her gently, hoping she was giving the young girl some relief. She knew today would be far more busy than she anticipated, and if she could give her sister even the slightest comfort she would. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”</p><p>The small squeeze of Anna’s hand was the only reply she needed.</p><p>---</p><p>The trip in the wagon was a never ending blur of colors and figures and shapes. Elsa found it hard to pay attention to anything in particular with so many moving parts.</p><p>A shiver ran down her spine, reminding her just how bad she felt on top of her confusion. This all had to be a bad dream. It was her punishment for hurting Anna: lost in the far away land that her papa had told them about before they were supposed to be asleep. She didn’t mean to; it was an accident.</p><p>But at least in her dream, Anna was safe. And Anna was older, oddly enough. She let herself be comforted by this older Anna, the way she failed her real Anna. If she could dream like this every night, maybe it would make being seperated okay. She clutched tightly onto this older Anna’s cloak, desperate to commit this to her memory.</p><p>“Elsa, we’re here, sweetheart,” Older Anna said, picking her up. Part of her wanted to tell her sister she was big enough to walk, but if this was all just a dream then it wouldn’t matter. The trolls from the night before were there. There was no way this wasn’t a dream.</p><p>Pabbie had put his hand to her head the way he had Anna’s last night, as if he were inspecting her magic. She couldn’t make out his words, her head fuzzy and aching. She wasn’t ready for this dream to end, but maybe it would get rid of the wrong-ness of her body. She only made out phrases like “rebirth” and “natural course of magic”, but it didn’t matter much to her. Dreams were silly things.</p><p>Soon enough Older Anna and the nice reindeer man and his sister were carrying her back and her home was in view. Maybe if she shut her eyes, it would all go back to normal. Yeah that sounded like a nice plan.</p><p>---</p><p>Anna took great care to conceal her sister as the wagon approached Arendelle. There would be a diplomatic way to handle this situation, she was sure. Or at least she pretended to be. Her sister’s magic turning her into a child again in order to develop properly wasn’t exactly in her training as a princess and queen. </p><p>Thankfully the cold that had served as the catalyst for all this seemed to exhaust her big sister. Or little sister now, she supposed. That would take some getting used to. Elsa slept for most of the journey home- aided by what magic Pabbie could offer them. He may not have been able to bring her to her former age, but he could help her sleep off the illness. </p><p>Explaining all this to Kristoff had been another story. He had obviously fretted when he awoke to her note, but worried even more seeing the young girl asleep in her arms.</p><p>“So there’s no going back? No magically aging her back to how she was before?”</p><p>Anna pinched the bridge of her nose. Getting Elsa into the castle was easy enough with all the hidden entrances and corridors, but that was the least of their worries now. She shook her head, pulling the last of her covers over her sister. </p><p>“Pabbie said it had something to do with the spirit inside her. That her magic had been held back for so long, that it somehow reverted her to the moment it stopped growing right. Apparently it has happened to many that the spirit embodies.” </p><p>A tear slipped from Anna’s eye. She had been very good about hiding these hard feelings, not when Elsa was so scared. But Elsa was asleep and it was okay to let go.</p><p>“I don’t want to mess this up,” she said softly. “She gets another chance, and I can’t mess this up.”</p><p>Kristoff had his arms wrapped around her, holding tight. “You’re not going to mess this up. She doesn’t have to conceal this. Even if we make for rough parents, it’s going to be different.”</p><p>“We?” Anna sniffled wetly.</p><p>Kristoff smiled, kissing her on the head. “We. We’re getting married aren’t we?” She nodded slowly, heading bobbing under his chin. “That means we do this together.”</p><p>“Together,” she sighed.</p><p>Anna turned around to give him a kiss herself. No matter what, they were going to do this. They had a second chance, and they were going to get it right this time. They would give Elsa the childhood she was robbed of. They owed her that much.</p>
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